Steering mechanism for pop-up toys

ABSTRACT

A collapsed steering and control mechanism for pop-up toy vehicles which mechanism is immediately operational after being popped up.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0001] This application is based on United States Provisional PatentApplication Ser. No. 60/178,606 filed Jan. 28, 2000, which claims thepriority of German Patent Application Serial Number DE19903994.1 filedFeb. 2, 1999.

STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT

[0002] This application was not developed under any federally sponsoredresearch and development.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0003] This invention relates to wheeled pop-up toys, and morespecifically to steering mechanisms for such toys.

[0004] In my German Patent No. 29620048.4, I described a mechanism forpop-up toys (“pop-ups”) which, in contrast to the conventional pop-ups,are fully functioning three-dimensional toys.

[0005] Up to now, steering or other directional devices that could bebuilt into three and four-wheeled pop-up toys, preferably made ofcardboard, have not been known. It would be desirable to constructpop-ups with the steering mechanism and whole pop-up folded flat,regardless of the position of the steering mechanism on the vehicle; andafter popping up, to be immediately steered with mechanical freedom.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0006] Conventionally, when pop-up toys are constructed as vehicles,they are not steerable or controllable, since the wheels are fastened tothe rigid side walls of the vehicle and consequently around a rigidaxle. “Rigid axle” means an axle with a relatively fixed longitudinalaxis, whether or not the axle rotates on its own axis and whether or nota wheel rotates on the axle. A rigid axle does not bend or turn enoughfor useful steering. A model vehicle is more fun if it can be steered.

[0007] In one exemplary embodiment, a collapsed steering and controlmechanism is configured with a “yoke” so as to be able to be immediatelyoperational after being popped up. The exemplary embodiment does thiswithout complicated operations such as interlocking, unintendedbuckling, tearing down, or other damage to components. Collapsing orfolding of the model is easy even with multi-directional steering. Theexemplary steering and control mechanism is strong when popped up andremains strong and reliable for good transfer of control and steeringforces and clean tracking of any steered wheels. Even with steering, apop-up vehicle with the exemplary steering and control mechanism is onlyabout as thick as the conventional non-steerable pop-up model when eachis in its folded condition. This steering can, in the exemplaryembodiment, be inexpensively obtained using “classical” materials suchas cardboard, paper, or cloth tape. “Cardboard” as used herein means anymaterial having a generally similar cheapness, strength and cornerbendability to cardboard. Plastic sheet material would thus be“cardboard” as would thin wood, thin metal, rubber sheets, etc. Moreexpensive models, such as wooden or metal model cars or trucks usingthicker yoke material or thicker steering members could take advantageof the exemplary steering mechanism, by using hinges to allow foldingand lateral yoke movement.

[0008] Previously, it seemed impossible, or at least very difficult andnon-obvious, how anyone could provide such a combination of features ina pop-up model of a vehicle that is typically made of cardboard. Yet,even with the functional steering, the exemplary steering mechanism hasa strength that was previously possible only in rigid vehicle models.The exemplary steering mechanism can also find application in rigidlyconstructed models. The advantage of the exemplary embodiment liesprimarily, however, in the foldable pop-up, since the bendable cornersprovide the flexibility for both steering and folding which has notpreviously been achieved in such pop-ups with any similar strength.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0009]FIG. 1 is a right, upper, front perspective view in partialcutaway of an exemplary four-wheel pop-up steerable vehicle in a fullyopened state, FIG. 2 is a side view of an exemplary steering mechanismfor the vehicle of FIG. 1 with the wheel facing the viewer omitted toallow visibility,

[0010]FIG. 3 is a right, upper, front perspective view in partialcutaway of an exemplary three-wheel pop-up steerable vehicle in a fullyopened state, and FIG. 4 is a side view of a modified version of thevehicle of FIG. 3 in folded condition.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0011] The problem of constructing a satisfactory functioningcontrollable steering of two wheels on one axle is solvable in pop-upmodel vehicles by use of various embodiments, including, but not limitedspecifically to, the exemplary embodiment in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2. In thisexemplary embodiment of a steering and control mechanism 100, in thearea of a movable front axle 102, a stabilizing transverse wall 104 isprovided with a middle section 106 folded forwardly toward a front edge108. Middle section 106 could alternatively be a separate strip taped tothe center of wall 104. Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, wall 104 is fastenedfirmly to a vehicle floor 110 through a bracket-type diagonal connection112 by a snap 114, 115 or other attachment (not shown), and thus with apair of side walls 116, 117 attached to floor 110. Wall 116 and wall 117are connected to transverse wall 104 and floor plate halves 118 and 124,respectively, in a hinged way to form a vehicle body 120 which is rigidand adequately strong in three dimensions. Mechanism 100 is thusconfigured to form part of a vehicle model 122 with sidewalls 116, 117and floor plate halves 118, 124. Mechanism 100 occupies an area 126 froma front 127 back to slightly behind transverse wall 104. Transverse wall104 is made of adequately strong “cardboard” (i.e. of some thin,buckling-resistant material, not necessarily paper or boxboard). Parts102-126 give vehicle model 122 both in a popped up and in a foldedposition, as described below, an adequate stability so that othervehicle body parts can be made, for example, out of lighter cardboard.

[0012] One special feature of exemplary embodiment 100 is thattransverse wall 104 no longer forms a front or back wall of model 122 asin conventional pop-up models but rather lies intermediate front 127 andback 129. Wall 104 thus has two transverse halves 105, 107 that meet andbend forwardly along a central vertical line 128. The forwardly bentportions of halves 105 and 107 form a two-layer rib type reinforcement106 on an inside surface 130 of vehicle 122 with steerable axle 102. Thesteerable axles are usually front axles 102 and 132, although rear axles133 could alternately or also be made steerable in similar manner, ifdesired. Both wheels 134 and 135 are supported on lower side edges 131and 137 of transverse wall 104 so as to be able to swivel horizontallywith wheel suspensions 138 and 139. Wheels 134 and 135 are fixed to eachother by being fixed to suspensions 138 and 139 and connecting the frontand back of suspensions 138 and 139 to each other with front foldedconnection strip 152 and rear folded connection strip 153 so that wheels134 can not be moved separately when popped up. Transverse wall 104allows right and left jointed pivotal attachments 136 and 137 of wheelsuspensions 138 to effectively approximate pivoting of wheels 134themselves. Use of side walls 116 and 117 of the vehicle for jointedattachment of the wheel suspensions 138 and 139 would require pivots 16and 137 to be fastened above wheels 134 and 135 since wheels 134 and 135also need a large wheel well 142 in side walls 116 to be able to beturned in any direction. Wheel suspensions 138 and 139 would then reactto temporary turning forces by bending and wheels 134 and 135 would nolonger be adequately strong. So attachment of wheels 134 and 135 to sidewalls 116 and 117 would create a major problem with respect to transferof steering forces at suspensions 138 and 139, and wheels 134 and 135would be so inaccurately coupled that such a solution must be viewedmechanically as unsatisfactory.

[0013] By the insertion of transverse wall 104 into model 122, however,it is possible to make steering and control fully satisfactory inmechanical functions. Both steerable wheels 134 and 135 are supported soas to be turnable on two flat, rigid yokes 140 and 141 fastened to thewheel suspensions 138 and 139 which in turn are connected through clothtape connections 143 and 145 or through a cardboard or paper joint, orother hinge type connection,(not shown) or, in more expensive designs,by small hinges which pivot on edges 129 and 131 of wall 104.

[0014] When folded together wheel suspensions 138 and 139 represent onone side simultaneously, an exact fit cutout of each half of transversewall 104 that therefore lies in one plane folded together with wall 104,as seen in FIG. 2. Since halves 105 and 107 of transverse wall 104folded together in turn with side walls 116 and 117 and halves 118 and124 of vehicle floor 110 of model 122 form one plane, steerablesuspension 138 and 139 of steerable wheels 134 and 135 folded togetherat this place 144 is not thicker or is only insignificantly thicker thanthe earlier pop-up models which were not steerable.

[0015] Wheel suspensions 138 and 139 and connection strips 152 and 153and transverse wall 104 makes it possible to swivel both steerablewheels 134 and 135 around perpendicular swivel axles 146 and 148 thatbisect a midpoint 150 of wheels 134 and 135.. Suspensions 138 and 139are arranged in vehicle model 122 to be mirror images of each other.During swiveling of the steerable wheels 134 and 135, both suspensions138 and 139 remain at the same distance from wheel midpoints 150 and toswivel axles 146 and 148. Each connection strip 152 and 153 is fastenedso as to be hinged by a fold 154 and suspensions 138 and 139 and 154, orsimilar strip running parallel to an opposed connection strip 153 at amirror image position on an opposite side of model 122.

[0016] Both strips 152 and 153 are preferably made of cardboard or clothtape. Also other materials may be considered. If strips 152 and 153 aremade of rigid material, they must have folds 156 and 158 or some otherhinge type connection in the middle in order to fold the model 122together in a way similar to transverse wall 104. A rear connectionstrip 158 can also be folded in such a way that strip 158 folds togetherplaced against transverse wall 104. In use of soft cloth tape fold 158is eliminated since the cloth tape folds together “by itself”.

[0017] It is now important that when model 122 pops up, connectionstrips 152 and 153 tighten tightly between wheel suspensions 138, forcedby transverse wall 104 to pop-up and attach to floor plate 122. Thussteerable wheels 134 in popped up vehicle 122 are always arrangedsatisfactorily parallel to each other in their swivel movements. Theforces of tightly drawn binding strips 152 and 153 acting on wheels 134temporarily are produced by transverse wall 104 which is rigid after thepopping up on the one hand, and on the other hand, however, also held incheck so that a well functioning steering geometry is produced.

[0018] Viewed technically, connection strips 152 and 153 have thefunction of steering tie rods. The distances viewed from the axis ofrotation 146 and 148 to a front edges 160 or back edges 162 of wheelsuspensions 138 and 139 thereby form a steering knuckle arm. Betweenwheel suspensions 138 and 139 and connection strips 152 and 153 a rightangle is formed at front edge 160 when driving straight. During steeringoperation a more or less oblique angled parallelogram is formed betweensuspensions 138 and 139 and strips 152 and 156.

[0019] In side walls 116 and floor plate 122, corresponding wheel wells142 must be provided in order to allow space for the steerability ofwheels 134 and 135.

[0020] In order to be able to control wheels 134 and 135, a smallperpendicular cardboard strip 166, that corresponds in its materialstrength to the material strength of transverse wall 104, is inserted inthe middle of transverse wall 104 along middle fold 108. Fold 106 couldbe a separate cardboard strip 166 is glued jointed by a cardboard foldor a cloth tape 170 connection with half 105 of transverse wall 104exactly in an area 176 of middle fold 128. Strip 166 has in its lowerarea 178 the exact width of a steering knuckle arm (therefore thedistance 180 between the swivel axis 146 and the connection strip 152acting as a steering tie rod, with which strip 166 is joined in themiddle to the connection strip 152 in the area of center fold 168likewise with transverse wall 104.

[0021] Accordingly this cardboard strip 166 can be moved around a thirdpivot axle coincident with fold 176 which is arranged concentric andparallel to both of the wheel pivot axes 146 and 148 and thereby carriesone of the connection bands 152 and 156 acting as a steering tie rod.Cardboard strip 166 moves parallel to wheel suspensions 138 and pivotingmovements of strip 166 are transmitted precisely to steerable wheels 134and 135. In a part 182 projecting upward over the transverse wall 104strip 166 is alternately formed upward that strip 166 protrudes over aroof 184 of model 122 and extends through a bow shaped roof cutout 186and can be moved. Strip 166 is made into any desired driver figure 188on a side 190 turned away from a control lever 192 to make a visualimage recognizable through window openings 194 of a head and body ofdriver figure 188 turning in the same direction as wheels 134 turn atthe time.

[0022] In order to be able to control wheels 134 and 135, strip 166,that corresponds in its material strength to the material strength ofthe transverse wall 200, is inserted in the middle of the transversewall 104 along middle fold 154. This cardboard strip 166 is gluedjointed by a cardboard fold or cloth tape connection with the transversewall half 1 exactly in the area of the center-fold of the transversewall 1. The cardboard strip 6 has in its lower area the exact width of asteering knuckle arm (therefore the distance between the swivel axis andthe connection strip acting as a steering tie rod 5, with which it isjoined to the connection band 5) in the area of the center fold likewisewith the transverse wall 1.

[0023] Accordingly this cardboard strip 166 can be moved around a thirdpivot axle which is arranged concentric and parallel to both of thewheel pivot axes 146 and 148 and thereby carries one of the connectionbands 152 and 153 acting as a steering tie rod. Thus cardboard strip 166likewise moves parallel to the wheel suspensions 138 and 139 andpivoting movements of strip 166 are transmitted precisely to thesteerable wheels 134 and 135. Strip 166 is alternately formed toward theback or toward the front to a perpendicular control lever 182 thatprotrudes over roof 184 of model 122 and extends through cutout 184 andcan be moved. Also, strip 166 can be made into any desired driver figure188 on side 190.

[0024] Such steering in a pop-up model fulfills all the conditionsmentioned in the beginning. Mechanism 100 is, after the popping up ofmodel 122, immediately fully operable and can be folded together in anydesired steering position without any portion of mechanism 100interlocking or being able to be damaged. Also with folded steering thesteerable wheels 134 and 135 turn at the same time with the collapsingtogether of vehicle 122 automatically to a straight ahead travelingposition, and then lie collapsed together fall and in line withsidewalls 116 and 117.

[0025]FIG. 2 shows mechanism 100 in the folded together position. Herefloor plate 110 is represented which together with transverse wall 104brings about the strength of vehicle 122 with a snap or similar adhesiveconnection 114 and 115.

[0026] Referring now to FIG. 3 and FIG. 4, a second exemplary embodimentis shown. FIG. 3 is a right, front, upper perspective view of thissecond exemplary embodiment, which is a 3-wheeled vehicle 200, and FIG.4 shows vehicle 200 in folded condition with an optional added cutout226 and optional added control lever 238. In 3-wheeled vehicle 200, acentral support 202 is provided that is as strong in its materialstrength as lower floor plate halves 204, sidewalls 206, and back wall208 fixing vehicle 200 through a tab type diagonal connection 210 with asnap 212, 214 or other attachment. Other materials of other strengthscould be used, provided support 202 is of sufficient strength.

[0027] Support 202 runs through vehicle 200 from backwall 208 to acentral forward hinge connection 216 to which a wheel carrier 218, madeof strong cardboard attached to a wheel 220 to be steered. The layoutand technical implementation of such a center support 202 are known sothat a more exact representation would be superfluous. It is importantthat support 202 be connected upward with a foldable roof 222 orfoldable intermediate floor half 224 which is constructed like roof 222.In the latter case there then remains a free space between roof 222 andintermediate floor 224 which can be used as play storage space. Thestabilization of vehicle 200 is achieved in this exemplary embodiment bya snap 212, 214 in rear area of the vehicle between wall 208 and floorplate 204 whereby back wall 208 and floor plate halves 204 are connectedover folds or foldably flexible material hinged with sidewalls 206.Support 202, always fixed concentric with and parallel to side walls206, makes it possible that a strong pivot axle 230 can be built forwheel 220.

[0028] In contrast to wheel suspensions 138 and 139, a wheel suspension228 of wheel 220 is lengthened upward and received over wheel 220.Connection 216 to center support 202 acs as a hinge which forms pivotaxle 230 at a midpoint 232 of wheel 220.

[0029] One axle is eliminated in vehicle 200 in order to allow theoption of eliminating a control lever, as below described, or in theevent a model of a three-wheeler is desired with a control lever.Connection 216 around axis 224 above wheel 220 with one individual wheel220 is not a problem, provided that a sufficiently long fold 202, 234 isensured. A horizontal fold length 217 of substantial length and verticalfold length of at least a distance roughly approximately about equal tothe diameter of wheel 220 has been found satisfactory, although otherlengths could be used. This is because there are no strong lateralforces on wheel 220 or fold 234. Pivot axle 230 can be cardboard fold216 or can be cloth tape, or in more expensive constructions, be formedof small hinges. Support 202 contains a corresponding wheel cutout 236to allow freedom of movement of wheel 220.

[0030] Wheel suspension 228 may contain a control lever 238 in its upperarea connected as a joint 216 with center support 202 similarly to lever182, and likewise can be operated through a bow shaped cutout 226 (seeFIG. 4) in the vehicle roof 222. Likewise a usual forward upper part 240of wheel suspension 228 is formed as a drive figure which turns in thedirection of steering.

[0031] If pivot axle 230 lends itself to being built easily rearwardly,the vehicle can also be steered when one pivots the whole vehicle 200 inthe desired direction, as by pushing the side of the vehicle oppositethe intended direction of movement. Wheel 220 now follows in turn thesteering movement of pushed vehicle 200 and upper part 240 (the driverfigure) turns in whatever direction vehicle 200. In this implementationit may be attractive to do without control lever 238 and eliminatecutout 226, hence cutout 226 is not shown in FIG. 3 but is shown in FIG.4 to emphasize its optional nature. In FIG. 3 pivot axis 230 is slantedrearwardly so that more of wheel 220 rearward of axis 230 contacts theground or floor to exert a turning force on wheel when lateral force isapplied to vehicle 200

[0032] Vehicle 200 also fulfills all of the requirements mentioned inthe beginning with respect to the function and technical convertibility.Here also, especially in the folding together of vehicle 200, wheelsuspension 228 turns automatically in the initial position (drivingstraight ahead) so that the vehicle can be folded together as shown inFIG. 4 from any steering position without difficulty.

[0033] Other embodiments will also suggest themselves to those ofordinary skill in the art upon reading of the above two exemplaryembodiments, and those are to be included to the extent stated in theclaims below, giving a broad range of equivalents thereto in view of thebroad disclosure above made. The above examples are just that,illustrative examples which show best mode and enablement in accordancewith statutory requirements, but there is no intention to be limited tojust the best mode, as that would not give the properly broad scopesought. Applicant intends the claims below to the limited in scope onlyby the prior art and the statutory requirement that the inventiondefined by any claim be patentable over the prior art. To the extent theFesto v. Shoketsu decision of the CAFC remains in effect, Applicantnotes that nothing above is intended to be limiting other than asabsolutely required in order to render the claims below patentable overthe prior art. The claims below, not the description above, and theprior art are intended to define the breadth of coverage sought.

What is claimed is:
 1. A steering and control mechanism for pop-up toyvehicles which, in a first folded position, is flat and, in a secondpopped up position, is operational for multi-directional steering.
 2. Amechanism in accordance with claim 1 wherein said mechanism attached toa toy to be steered and wherein said mechanism is, when folded, ofsubstantially similar thickness to said toy.
 3. A mechanism inaccordance with claim 2 wherein said mechanism, when folded, is of athickness less than or equal to the thickness, when folded, of said toy.4. A mechanism in accordance with claim 1 , wherein said mechanism isoperable immediately after being moved from said first position to saidsecond position, without further manual operations
 5. A mechanism inaccordance with claim 1 , wherein said mechanism is free of resistanceto steering caused by interlocking, jamming, etc. in collapsing togetheror popping up in any desired steering position and is thereby protectedfrom accidental damage during these manipulations.
 6. A mechanism inaccordance with claim 1 , wherein the mechanism includes a foldablerectangular yoke with an opposed front wall and rear wall, an opposedright side wall and left sidewall, said opposed front and rear wallsjoined by flexible corners to said opposed side walls, said yoke beingattached to the toy, and a foldable steering member attached to saidyoke for bending said yoke into a parallelogram by application oflateral force between one of said opposed walls of said yoke.
 7. Amechanism in accordance with claim 5 , wherein said rectangularity is ina horizontal plane.
 8. A mechanism in accordance with claim 6 , whereina front and a rear wall of the yoke remain parallel throughout thesteering movement, but move laterally relative to each other and a leftside wall and a right side wall of said yoke incline relative to the toyto accommodate such lateral movement.
 9. A mechanism in accordance withclaim 7 wherein said steering member is attached to said front wall ofsaid yoke and a front wall of said toy and is configured to applylateral force on said front wall of said yoke relative to said frontwall of said vehicle.
 10. A mechanism in accordance with claim 8 whereina right wheel is rotatably attached to said right side wall and a leftwheel is rotatably attached to said left wall, so that when saidsteering member applies said lateral force and said right and left sidewalls incline, said wheels also incline to thereby steer the toy.
 11. Amechanism in accordance with claim 7 wherein said steering member isattached to said rear wall of said yoke and a front wall of said toy andis configured to apply lateral force on said rear wall of said yokerelative to said front wall of said vehicle to move said rear wall ofsaid yoke laterally relative to said vehicle.
 12. A mechanism inaccordance with claim 8 wherein a right wheel is rotatably attached tosaid right side wall and a left wheel is rotatably attached to said leftwall, so that when said steering member applies said lateral force andsaid right and left side walls incline, said wheels also incline tothereby steer the toy
 13. A mechanism in accordance with claim 1 whereinsaid steering member and yoke are cardboard.
 14. A mechanism inaccordance with claim 6 wherein said steering member is disposedparallel to said side walls of said yoke and is attached to said frontand rear wall of said yoke but not to said toy and a small section ofsaid left and right side walls of said yoke are attached by a flexiblelink, respectively, to a left side and right side of said toy, so thatwhen said steering member is turned, said side walls turn in parallel tosaid steering member.
 15. The mechanism of claim 1 is simple tomanufacture.